Inner World of Yoga – Day 30
Spiritual Accountability
by Wendy Kolanz
When people lament the lack of religion in today’s society, I believe they are referring to the lack of ethics and responsibility. Humanity has endured and changed through the ages, and though in the history of Earth we are merely a blip on the chart, humankind has now become the major influencer of other species’ survival or demise, climate change and a decisive factor in determining either the total destruction or continued existence of our Earth.
What does it mean to be accountable spiritually? Mankind began the journey in fear and awe of natural forces, recognizing the patterns and balance of the forces of the earth and heavens, having gratitude for what they provide, and honoring them with ceremonies and prayers – earth based spirituality. To “assure” basic needs were met, they sometimes also offered sacrifices to the forces of air, fire, water and earth.
As humans grew in numbers and formed communities, religions and political structures rose out of family and tribal structures. The development, rise and fall of various forms of these structures still goes on today.
YOGA, a very ancient system considered to be at least 5000 years old although its origins are likely much more ancient, is based in the recognition and acceptance of the balance and patterns of nature as our source of life on this earth. Like all ancient systems, it saw earth, cosmos and humankind as interconnected, with all reliant on the balance of forces for a sustained existence. This constitutes a foundational basis for the laws of human existence. Ancient humans had no choice but to recognize the cycle of birth/ life/ death, and human consciousness sought to interweave the meaning of this cycle into their existence.
